


We're in this together

by Alxx



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Background Relationships, F/F, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Relationships to Be Added - Freeform, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 10:42:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19990813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alxx/pseuds/Alxx
Summary: Ryuji is feeling dejected seeing his friends in relationships while Akira is away.Ann and Shiho decide to help their friend.





	We're in this together

**Author's Note:**

> Had an idea for a long fic, not sure how many chapters it might be. I'm hoping to shoot for 5 chapters at a minimum.

It was a lazy lunch hour for The Ann and Ryuji. One of the few moments of relief the pair of third years had since they started this term. Makoto wasn't kidding when she told them that third year would be hard. Considering that it's Ryuji and Ann, the two known to struggle with every subject then it's hell. Because Haru and Makoto graduated already, it was just Ann, Ryuji, and Mishima left. Of course, Futaba was here as well, but she was spending more time with a boy named Kaoru, her' brother.' They never asked the specifics since they all had been too busy to visit Leblanc or talk to Boss like they used also. Mishima even left the two alone, apparently too busy jumping through hoops on scholarships and doing freelance web design.

Because of this, it was always Ryuji and Ann alone at lunchtime, they were lucky if Mishima wasn't too tired to sit down and have a chat. They weren't so fortunate today.

"Ann, those are mine!" Ryuji cried as he lightly slapped Ann's encroaching fingers on his jello cup.

"Ow! hey, sharing is caring Ryuji." She massaged the light sting her hand felt.

"Not when I need the brainpower." Ryuji huffed, shoving a spoonful of flavored gelatin in his mouth.

Ann sighed and slouched in her chair, pulling out her phone instead. She sat there typing away for a while, the occasion giggles and snickering. It wasn't much, but it piqued Ryuji's curiosity. He leaned back to check what was so funny, only to see Ann staring at her phone with a goofy smile.

"Whatcha' laughin' at?" He asked, trying to lean back enough to see her screen.

Ann showed him her phone and in it was a series of texts between Ann and her Girlfriend, Shiho. The picture that he found her laughing at was Shiho holding a peace sign with the open crack of some poor student, it got worse when the snapchat filter was the dog one. The tongue coming out of the crack. Ryuji clasped a hand around his mouth to stop himself before he disrupted the classroom lunch. His muffled laughter got a restrained snicker from Ann.

"Dude, Shiho is funny." He finally managed to choke out.

"I know, right? I'm so in love." Ann did an overdramatic sigh as she leaned back, touching her forehead with the back of her hand.

Ryuji took a moment to recollect himself before he could speak normally.

"Wow, gay." Ryuji poked the blonde girl's side.

Ann smacked his hand away. "Shut up, You're even gayer then I am."

"Am not." He sticks his tongue out at her.

"At least I don't beg Shiho for selfies every hour." Ann retorted.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Ryuji whipped out his phone and started typing.

Ann stood up and rested her head on Ryuji's shoulder to get a better view of what he was doing.

\---

 **Ryuji:** Akira send nudes

 **Akira:** I'm in the middle of class.

 **Ryuji:** don't care, send nudes.

**Akira Has Send a Picture.  
**

\---

The picture Akira sent included him hunched close to his desk, his elbows stretching outwards. And staring into the camera. The light reflecting off his glasses had obscured most of their eyes, but with a bit of squinting, you can make out the grey irises. One can assume he was probably hiding behind a book to make this possible. Ryuji grinned as he looked at the picture, Ann giggled and poked his cheek.

\---

 **Akira:** Illegal nudes.

 **Ryuji:** handsome boi.

 **Ryuji:** thank you for my life.

 **Akira:** Pls text at a better time.

\---

Ryuji didn't text back, thinking that if he did then, Akira might get caught but he settled for staring at the picture. Ann observed him as he saved the image to his photo gallery. She pushed his head forehead with a chuckled.

"Creep, do you save all the selfies he sends you?" She teased.

"How can you not save these works of art?" Ryuji pressed his hand to his chest, feigning offense.

"I'm not too sure Akira counts as 'art'" Ann pointed out.

"Yusuke would disagree." Ryuji countered.

"Yusuke doesn't count." Ann stuck her tongue out.

"Well, it doesn't matter, because I'm right and you're wrong." Ryuji huffed.

Ann rolled her eyes as she sat back down. She went back to munching on what was left of the chocolate covered pretzels.

* * *

After school, Ann and Ryuji sent texts to their parents on where they were going before heading to pick up Shiho and then heading Shibuya. The trio headed into the diner and ordered up for food for themselves as they unwinded down.

"Ugh, school is so frustrating!" Ann cried out as she stretched out her arms.

"Ann, not so loud." Shiho sighed.

"Yeah, I'm bummed too but I ain't making an announcement." Ryuji groaned.

"Sorry, teachers dropped a lot of lectures on us. I could barely keep my eyes opened." Ann leaned her head on her hand.

"Yeah, I was there, and I was asleep," Ryuji added.

"That was entertaining to see the teacher tear you a new one for falling asleep in her class." Ann giggled.

The waitress came back with their order, tea, and sweets all around. Ann immediately dug into her dessert as if she'd be denied the treat. Shiho giggled at Ann's enthusiasm before eating her own. She felt Ann's hand slither to her's, squeezing tightly. Shiho shot the blond a look which was replied with a wink from the said blond. Shiho rolled her eyes and continued to work on her dessert. Ryuji, seeing this entire display frowned. He looked away from them and pulled out his phone. Shiho noticed this and put aside her dessert.

"Texting Akira again?" She asked.

"Huh? oh yeah." Ryuji replied.

"How has he been doing?" She asked.

"He's been fine, still can't shake the record off of him despite it being wiped." Ryuji grumbled.

"Well, Akira did come from a small town. I guess things are treated differently there?" Ann piped in.

"Well it shouldn't, he just helped put down a man that nearly destroyed this japan. He helped bring justice to those Shido used as pawns, and this is the thanks he gets?" Ryuji crossed his arms and huffs.

"I have to admit, it was awe-inspiring that he managed to do all that and walk with a clean record." Shiho sounded impressed. "But that's just how small-town politics work."

"And you're an expert?" Ryuji raised a brow at her.

"Most of the students from my school come from small towns like Akira's. They say horrible things that people have done in the town are easily remembered and hard to forget since everyone is so close." Shiho explained.

"Ugh, that sucks." Ryuji smacked his hands against his face and slowly dragged them down. "Why couldn't he have stayed here? hardly anyone would care once the news started saying somethin' else."

"Well, it wasn't our decision. Akira's parents sent him here, and they wanted him back." Ann pointed out.

"But why? What's the point of sending him here for schoolin' in if you're just going to take him back? He had a place to stay, he had a job, he had good grades-" Ryuji slammed his fist on the table "This is bullshit!"

"Ryuji, calm down." Ann saif firmly. "We're in the public place, and you are making a scene."

"I don't care, what kind of shitty parents sends their kid away and takes them back once their record is clean? What the eff man!" Ryuji cried.

"Like I said, small-town politics are hard to get. His parents probably sent him here, so their reputation is hurt any further." Shiho sighed. "That tends to happen when communities are so close."

"Shiho, don't say that. We don't know what his parents are like, they probably only sent him here because they wanted their son to stay in school." Ann budded in.

"It could be that, but sometimes it's not always the case," Shiho added.

"Why put their own reputation above their own son? What the heck kind of parents does he have?" Ryuji shot up out of his seat and started gathering his things.

"Ryuji, where are you going?" Ann called to him.

"Going to kidnap Akira." Ryuji stated as he walked away.

Ann acted fast and got up. She grabbed Ryuji's shoulders and pulled him back to sit down.

"No, you are not going to kidnap Akira just because you're feeling mopey that he isn't here." Ann huffed as she sat him down.

"So what if I am? I can't stand being apart from him for this long." Ryuji pouted. "None of you guys have to worry about being separated. Shiho only goes to a different school that's a train ride away, Makoto and Haru go to the same college, and there there's me. My only form of communication is a phone." Ryuji frowned.

"I don't even get to hold him or kiss him like you guys do." Ryuji added somberly.

The mood around the teens died down. Ann and Shiho exchanged looks with each other before staring at Ryuji. They saw his usually cheery smile fall into a frown, looking down at his lap as he sat there. They wanted to say something, but they couldn't find the words to lighten the mood. Eventually, Ryuji got up, pulled out some money from his pocket, and left the diner.


End file.
